Murfreesboro resident Lakshmi Giroti is ready to be District 20’s next County Commissioner.

Giroti, a 25-year-old Indian-American, is excited for the opportunity to serve the place she’s lived most of her life.

"We live in one of the fastest growing counties in the state so these day to day decisions weigh more than ever," Giroti said. "We deserve public officials who can be held accountable. I’m running for County Commission for District 20 because I believe we need to focus on finding meaningful and creative solutions that will benefit our community for generations to come.”

Since relocating from Nashville to Murfreesboro in 2004, she has shown an interest in civic engagement. As a student at Blackman High School, Giroti served on the Student Council all four years, eventually serving as the student body president as a senior.

From organizing student voter registration to coordinating food drives for the Second Harvest Food Bank, she discovered a passion for advocacy, ultimately turning that passion into a political science degree from The University of Tennessee - Knoxville.

Full of post-graduation optimism, Giroti found herself anxious to use her degree to bring about real change for real people. Murfreesboro, a community that had given her so much, was the perfect place to start giving back.

 “In an increasingly digital and global world, the power of local politics is often underestimated. It isn’t the president that decides to put four car dealerships right by a residential area, nor is it Congress that controls how much traffic we sit in," Giroti said.

"These decisions and countless others can be traced back to our local representatives," she continued. "Although local politics are often thought of as behind the scenes, this is a mindset I desperately want to change."

No stranger to advocacy, Giroti aims to be equally accessible to each constituent.

“I’ve been in Murfreesboro for over a decade now, but my experience is only one of many. I think the answer to some of our most prominent issues such as county education, traffic, and viable waste management lies in the unique perspective of each constituent. Murfreesboro is the heart of Tennessee, and by working together, I believe we can enact change that will benefit not only District 20 but Rutherford County and Tennessee as a whole.”

Early voting runs through July 28, and the General Election is Aug. 2. You can learn more about Lakshmi’s campaign at www.facebook.com/lgforcc.